Track level and gage.



C. C. LYNCH TRACK LEVEL AND GAGE APPLICATION FILED 001215, 1908.

Patented Sept. 28, 1.909.

NC m7 CHRISTOPHER. C. LYNCH, OF PAEKERSBURG; WEST-VIRGINIA.

TRACK LEVEL 5N1 QIAGEH To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. LYNoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parkersburg, in 1 the county of Wood and State of W'est Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Truck Levels and Gages, of which the fol lowing is a specification, reference being had. to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is a combined track level and gage.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical device of this character which may be conveniently used for testing the level of railway tracks and also measuring the rail elevations on curves.

l/Vith the above and other obje ts in VlGW,

the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View. of the improved track level and gage; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one end of the device showing the gage plate or rule partially in its retaining pocket; Fig. 3 is a similar view looking at the opposite side of the same end of. the device but showing the gage plate or rule in its operative position; Fig. flis-a sectional view taken on the line'44 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the tension plate for the rule.

In the drawings 1 denotes the body of the device preferably in the form of a reotangm lar bar of wood or other material and having at its center upon its top a spirit level 2 and a tleshaped handle 3. The latter permits the device to be conveniently carried and manipulated and also serves to protect the spirit level, which latter is am nged beneath it. bar 1, upon its bottom, are stopshoulders 4 adapted to engage the track rails, said shoulders i being formed by bending pdrtions of metal binding plates or strips 5 secured by screws or other t'astenings to the ends of the body bar'when the latter is constructed of wood. The stop shoulders or projections at are atknown distancest'rom each other and the portion of the body bar from one of said shoulders to the adjacent extremity of said bar may be provided with suitable scale graduations 6, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2'. Said graduations are preferably formed upon a rectangular metal ,Specification of LettersPatent. Pgten'mol Sept. Application filed October 15, 1908. Serial Ho. 457,883.

and to cause the notched head i8 of s: 3 bolt to hold the gage plate or rule Adjacent to the ends of the bodywear plate 7 secured on one side face t s id end of the rod within the binding strip, as shown. I

In order to permit the elevation inside rail of a curve to be taken plate or rule 8 is slidably and mounted on one side of the body cent to one of its ends, and p t said plate: 7. Said. gage 8 in t I a rule having one edge graduated. l or other suitablescale graduations, cated at 9, andv one ofitsends bent angles to provide a finger tending through its center is a long slot 11 to receive a pivot bolt 12 i is adapted to slide and svine. Q

' his van extends through a centrally arranged (1 ing in the plate? and through a opening 13 formed in the body. bar 1', he threaded end lei of said screw being engaged with a square nut 15 located in a r' shaped recess formed in the opposite sir face of the body bar 1 and also in 1118 Wear late 16 set in said other face of .o body ar, as shown more clearly in o. A coil spring 17 surrounds the bolt 12 ital the opening 13 in the body bar and con fined between the plate 7 and the nut so that it tends to force the bolt int-var ti lliltt tension in any pos t-ion to which n; ma turned or moved.

in order to render the tension of the bolt more eil'ective stren hen the sliding and pivot. tion or the gage plate or rule, a cl or U-shaped tension plate 19 is arr-a said rule beneath the head 18 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and parts just described not only provide an eliiective sliding and pivotal connection the gage rule or plate 8 but also 2 device for thesanie for maintaining adjusted position.

When the gage plate or r le i right angles to thebody her taking the elevationot the Cvllt. i. a curve, stop pins 20, 21 arranged upon plate 7 and adapted tolbe engaged by opposite sides of the tension plate l the swinging movement of the rul that it will be maintained in a vertical or pendicula-r position at right angles to the body bar. When the gage plate or rule 8 is i not needed, it is swung to a horizontal pest tion or to, a plane parallel with the iongitndinal axis of the body bar and is pushed into a guard casing or pocket 22 secured to the side of the body bar. Said pocket is preferably constructed of sheet metal by bending the same into U-form and then bending its edges to provide outwardly projecting flanges which are secured by screws or other fastenings rto the body bar.

The finger piece on one end of the rule L0 permits the latter to be conveniently manipulated in inserting it in and removing it from its pocket 22 and also in adjusting it vertically when it is in an operative or vertical position. "When in the latter posi tion, the gage rule or plate 8 may be conveniently moved up or down by pressing inwardly upon the nut 15 to relieve the rule of the tension of the spring 17 and when this is done there will be no wear upon the outer graduated face of said rule;

From the foregoing description taken in connection with. the accompanying drawings it is thought that the construction of the invention, its use and advantages will be readily understood without a more extended explanation. v

7 While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described'in detail, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construct on as set forth and that various olnrnges in esorted to without departing from the it or sacrificing any of the advantages th invention.

.ving thus described the inventit'in what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described compr' a body bar formed adjacent to one d nith transverse opening, a longitudinally slotted gage plate arranged on one of the body bar, a pivot pin arranged the opening in the body bar and the slot gage plate, said pin being longitudiidable in said opening and adapted o sliaably and pivotally mount the gage plate upon the: body bar, spring for actu eating s pivot pin longitudinally, Whereby the page plate will be held under tension I and a spirit level. upon the body bar.

2-. A device of the character described comprising a body bar formed adjacent to one end with a transverse opening, a longitudh nally slotted gage plate arranged on one at side of the body bar, a pivot pin arranged in the opening in thebody bar and the slot e term, proportion and minor detailsmay in the age plate, said pin being longitudi vnally s idable in said opening and adapted to slidably and pivotally mount the gage plate upon the body bar, a spring for actuating said pivot pin longitudinally, whereby the gage plate will be held under tension, a spirit level upon the body bar and a pocket arranged on one side of the body bar and adapted to receive said gage plate.

3. A device of the character described com; prising a body bar formed adjacent to one end with 'a transverse opening, a longitudinally slotted gage plate arranged on one side of the body bar, a pivot pin arranged in the opening in the body bar-and the slot in the gage plate, said pin being longitudinally slidable in said opening and adapted to slidably and pivotally mount the'gage plate upon the body bar, a spring for actuating said pivot pin'longitudinally, whereby the gage plate will be held under tension, a spirit level upon the body bar and outwardly projecting stop pin s upo rnne side of the body harctodimit'tlie swinging moveiiieiit oiithe gage plate.

4.. A device of the character described comprising a body bar formed adjacent to one end with a transverse opening, a spirit level on said bar, a slotted gage plate or rule, a nut set in one face of the body bar at one end of the opening in the latter, a pivot bolt passed through the slot in the gage plate and v the opening in the body barand into said nut, and a spring surrounding the pivot bolt to actuate the latter longitudinally in the opening in the body bar to place said gage I plate under tensioni 5. A device of the character described co1n prising a body bar having stop shoulders adjacent its ends, acentra-lly arranged spirit level on the ihaigia" handle for said bar.v a transverse piiotin said bar adjacent to on? of its ends, a slotted gage plate arranged upon said piv o'taiid "havinga finghr-fpiece at one end and scale graduations on one edge, a spring for actuating said. pivot to maintain said gage plate or rule under tension, and a pocket upon one "ofi'the body bar to receive said guide plate or lrule when the latter is not in use.

a In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in e presence of two Witnesses. EESTOPHER C. LYNCHL 

